Maine's top insurance regulator says automobile and homeowners' insurance rates in the state are among the lowest in the country.

GARDINER, Maine (AP) _ Insurance Superintendent Eric Cioppa (CHOP'-pah) said Friday that the National Association of Insurance Commissioners has released two reports showing improvements in Maine's national ranking for auto and homeowners rates. The studies place Maine in the top 10, meaning the cost for these types of insurance is lower than in most other states.

For homeowners insurance, Maine is ranked 9th nationally for 2010, the most recent data evaluated, compared to 11th in 2009.

For personal auto insurance, Maine's ranking improved from 6th in 2009 to 5th in 2010.

Cioppa says those rankings "are signs of a healthy and well-functioning property and casualty insurance market.''